As wireless communications networks evolve and gain acceptance by an ever-growing spectrum of end users, the need to keep the system functional remains critical. Advances in transport technology, particularly digital radio frequency (RF), provide the additional performance and improved signal quality demanded by the consumer. The traditional wireless network architecture, which relies on equipment upgrades in order to overcome limitations, is being transformed by technologies such as software-defined radio (SDR). With SDR, a radio signal is generated using software rather than traditional radio equipment hardware, and wireless service providers have greater flexibility by programming SDR to provide a broader range of frequencies, bandwidths, and transmission protocols.
With the increase in capability provided by SDR being deployed on digital wideband RF transport systems, new data and video services are being adopted at an ever-increasing rate. As is the case in upgrading a traditional RF network, service is interrupted on digital wideband RF transport systems in order to upgrade the system with new capabilities. Whenever a system upgrade is attempted, there is a risk that a software download to the system is unsuccessful due to an unanticipated interruption of power. Upgrading a system while operating is the ideal situation, yet accomplishing a system upgrade without affecting the normal operation of the network continues to expose vulnerabilities in continuity of service.
The risk that the software upgrade is unsuccessful due to an unanticipated interruption of power can cause a network to discontinue functioning if the interruption occurs at an inopportune time by corrupting the computing logic in one or more transport units. In these situations, service personnel will have to be sent on-site to complete the upgrade, and possibly replace system hardware. Without knowing whether the software loaded in the transport unit is valid, the system will attempt to function using impaired logic, leading to potential downtime throughout the network.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification, there is a need in the art for an improved system upgrade mechanism that is transparent to the operation of a communications network.